Chaat Masala Roast Chicken

plus, new spices, smocks, and more ways to chaat

Chaat has got to be my favorite thing from my culture. We are a people who know how to snack. For the unfamiliar, chaat is a group of salty, sweet, sour, spicy snacks found throughout South Asia. (You can read all about it in this article I wrote a while back.) There are traditional chaats, like papri chaat and samosa chaat, but I firmly believe that anything can be chaat if you try hard enough.

Since you can’t live off of chaat alone (well, I probably could, but…) this Chaat Masala Roast Chicken has all the flavor of chaat, but it’s dinner! Chickpeas and matchstick potatoes roast under the chicken where edges get crisp, middles steam up fluffly, and some chickpeas become dense and meaty like the kala chana you often find in chaat. They’re tossed with peanuts and chaat masala, a spice blend that’s loaded with funky black salt and tangy green mango powder and can transform anything into chaat. But this recipe is still delicious if you don’t have chaat masala—really! Just add a little extra salt to the potatoes and finish with a squeeze of lime. (Note: You can buy chaat masala or make it yourself.)

I initially dry-brined the chicken with chaat masala, but its delicate flavors were lost after cooking. Instead, the chicken is glazed with honey because no chaat is complete without a hit of something sweet. A quick blender sauce brings freshness and acidity for some bright vibes.

new spices & smocks!

photo by Noah Fecks

Ham and I have got a new spice blend with Burlap & Barrel that’ll bring that authentic ~Taco Bell flavor~ to your kitchen, Yo Quiero Taco Blend! It’s got XXXtreme flavor, perfect for chili, beans, and of course, hard shell taco night. But the real reason we made this blend was to achieve our childhood goal of making the ultimate Doritos Locos tacos, which we now can by pairing this with our Nothing Hidden Ranch.

Also, I’ve finally got smock aprons to call my own! I teamed up with Tilit, a brand Ham and I have worked with in professional kitchens, to make a smock that fits everybody, looks cute, and is durable. This baby can last wash after wash. Dare I say, it might be the last apron you’ll ever need.

You can get really wild and get the smock + spices duo pack. It comes with all three of our Burlap and Barrel spice blends and a smock in the color of your choice.

other ways to chaat

Chaat-Spiced Chex Mix

make it for this year’s holiday party as a spicy riff to your usual party mix

photo by Vicky Wasik

Corn & Peach Chaat

because it’s summer somewhere

photo by Laura Murray

Chaat Potato Salad

okay, this is not a looker, but trust me it’s freaking delicious

Watermelon Chaat (from page 37 in my cookbook)

try it with any fruit! ripe pears, honey crisp apples, grapes, cantaloupe (which is weirdly really good in NY right now), or a combo

photo by Laura Murray

Chaat Masala Roast Chicken

serves 3 to 4 | active time: 1 hour | total time: 13+ hours

INGREDIENTS

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for the dry brine:

• kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• One 3 ½ to 4 pound whole chicken 

to roast:

• 1-inch piece ginger

• 1 to 2 Thai green chilies or serrano chilies

• 1 can chickpeas

• 1 ½  pound Yukon gold potatoes, about 5 medium

• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 4 tablespoons neutral oil or ghee, divided

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 2 tablespoons chaat masala

• ⅓ cup roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped

for the sauce:

• 1 cup  yogurt (any kind)

• 1 bunch cilantro

• 1 to 2 Thai green chilies or serrano chilies (optional)

• 1 juicy lime

• 1 teaspoon honey

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

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1. Spatchcock & dry brine: In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of chicken, turmeric, pepper, and sugar, and toss with your fingers to combine. 

2. Place the chicken on a cutting board, breast-side down. Using kitchen or poultry shears, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Flip the bird and press firmly on the breast until it flattens and you hear the wishbone crack. Pat dry with paper towels.

3. Season the chicken with the turmeric mixture, taking care to use all of it to evenly cover all of the chicken—in between the wings and the legs. (It may fall off, just scoop it back up and pat it on.) Transfer the chicken to a plate or (preferably) a wire rack set into a baking sheet (if you have the room) and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 and up to 24 hours.

4. Roast: Heat the oven to 425F and line a sheet tray with foil. 

5. Cut the ginger into matchsticks and transfer to the tray. Thinly slice the chilies and transfer to the tray. Drain the chickpeas and transfer to the tray. Cut the potatoes into ¼-inch thick matchsticks and transfer to the tray. 

6. Sprinkle over the salt and turmeric. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil and use your hands to evenly coat the potatoes and chickpeas. Place the chicken on top and rub it evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of fat. Place into the oven to roast until the potatoes are tender, the skin of the chicken is rendered and barely browned, and an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads at least 160F, about 40 to 50 minutes. (If you don’t have a thermometer, wiggle the wing. If should feel like you could easily pull it off. And use a paring knife to prick between the drumstick and thigh. The juices should run clear.)

7. Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a blender, combine the yogurt, cilantro (save some sprigs for garnish if you want), chilies (if using), lime juice, honey, and salt. Blend until smooth. 

8. Finish the chicken: Remove the chicken from the oven and use an offset spatula or butter knife to dot the honey all over. The heat will melt it enough to spread all over the chicken roughly. Return to the oven and roast until deeply browned, about 5 minutes. 

9. Finish the potatoes: Remove the tray from the oven and heat the broiler on high. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest at least 15 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, toss the potatoes and place under the broiler to brown and blacken in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle over the chaat masala and peanuts, and toss to combine. 

10. Carve the chicken and serve with potatoes and sauce. 

Chaat Masala Roast Chicken

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